The "Sea Venture" (also called the Seaventure or Sea Adventure) sailed as part of a flotilla of nine ships commanded by Admiral Sir George Somers. Intended destination was Jamestown, Virginia. The On 2 June 1609, "Sea Venture", flagship of the "Third Supply" (six ships and two pinnances); departed London. On 23 July, A hurricane at sea separated the Sea Venture from the other vessels. After four days, she began taking on water. Land was sited and she wrecked between two reefs off the shores of Bermuda on 28 July 1609. All of approximately 150 passengers safely made land. Two pinnances were built during the following nine months, the "Deliverance" and the "Patience". These vessels sailed on to Virginia 10 May 161, leaving two men behind. 19 June 1610 Sir George Somers volunteered to return to Bermuda aboard the "Patience" for supplies for the struggling colony of Virginia. He arrived in Bermuda, dying there in November of 1610. Captain Matthew Somers returned to England aboard the "Patience" with his uncle's body. Three men were left on the islands to hold the claim.

Passengers:

Sir Thomas Gates, Governor for Virginia (portrait below)
Sir George Somers, Admiral of the flotilla (portraits at top of page)
Rev Richad Bucke, chaplain to the expedition
William Strachney, Secretary-elect of Virginia Company
Silvester Jourdain, of Lyme Regis, Dorset
Joseph Chard
Mr Henry Shelly
Robert Walsingham, cockswain
Robert Frobisher, shipwright
Nicholas Bennit, carpenter
Francis Pearepoint
William Brian
William Martin
Henry Ravens, master mate; lost at sea when he sailed for help
Richard Knowles
Stephen Hopkins
Christopher Carter deserted and stayed behind on the island
Robert Waters who deserted and stayed behind on the island
Edward Waters
Samuel Sharpe
Henry Paine, shot to death for mutiny
Humfrey Reede
James Swift
Thomas Powell, cook
Edward Eason
Mistress Eason
baby boy Bermuda Eason, born in Bermuda to the above
John Want
Mistress Horton
Elizabeth Persons, maid to Mistress Horton; married Thomas Powell while in Bermuda
Capt (Sir) George Yeardley, experienced veteran of the Dutch wars
Jeffrey Briars (died in Bermuda)
Richard Lewis, died in Bermuda
Edward Samuel, murdered by Robert Waters
William Hitchman, died in Bermuda
Thomas Whittingham, lost at sea with Ravens (above)
Edward Chard who stayed behind on the island
?Captain Matthew Somers nephew and heir of Sir George, was aboard the "Swallow" on the same expedition
Robert Rich*, the brother of Sir Nathaniel Rich, a shareholder. Was a soldier. Returned to Bermuda 1617 and died there 1630.
Christopher Newport*, Captain of the Sea Venture, former privateer
Stephen Hopkins*
John Rolfe*, a young man in his twenties and traveling with his wife. Their baby girl was born in Bermuda, christened Bermudas and died shortly thereafter. His wife died shortly after reaching Virginia Spring 1610 and he married Pocahontas in April 1614.
Mistress Rolfe, first wife of above
Bermuda Rolfe, baby girl born in Bermuda, christened 11 Feb 1610, died and buried there
others

Additional persons listed in reference #3 as arriving at Jamestown in the Patience and the Deliverance (and therefore assumed to be aboard the Sea Venture when it wrecked at Bermuda) were: Henry Bagwell, aged 35 in the Deliverance
Thomas Godby, aged 36 in the Deliverance Edward Waters, aged 40 in the Patience
Elizabeth Joons, aged 30, servant
John Lytefoote
John Proctor

(references: 1) The Generall Historie of the Bermudas by Captain John Smith 1624, reprint 1966; *Royal Naval Dockyard Museum, Somerset, Bermuda; 2) Bermuda - unintended destination by Terry Tucker, 1982; 3) Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents & Grants, Cavaliers and Pioneers by Nell Marion Nugent 1963)

Virginia Historical Index by Swem:
4V344 "As a results of the efforts, Sir Thomas Gates as sole and absolute Governor, with Sir George Summers, Admiral, and Capt. Newport, Vice Admiral of Virginia, and divers and other persons of ran four cke and quality in seven ships and two pinnaces, left Falmouth on the 8 of June 1609, and on the 24 day of July, 1609 they encountered a terrible storm that prevailed from Tuesday noone till Friday noone; that scattered the fleet and wrecked The Sea Venture(on July 28 1609) upon the island of Bermuda"
24V248 Francis Michell lived at Elizabeth Citty February 1623 and Josuah Chard, aged 36, who came in the Sea Venture, May 1607.
29V299 Josuah Chard came in the SV

Purse and Person
The following came in the sea Ventura ( from different pages)
p15 Henry Bagwell
p22 Samuel Sharp
p30 John Lightfoote
p31 Capt. Wm Pierce
p32 George Grave
p38 John Procter
p140 Richard Buck sailed June 1609 with wife, Miss Langley and four Buck children. Marooned for 9 months embarked for Virginia from Bermuda 10 May 1610. Arrived in Jamestown 21 May 1610. He was a minister . The four Buck children , Elizabeth, Bridget and Bermuda were born and died while their parent marooned on Somers Island(1609-10) Mara born in Virginia 1611 ward of brother-in-law, John Burrows.
p374 Stephen Hopkins left England 9 June 1609 among 150 persons cast ashore etc etc then it states "Although there is no complete list of the shipwrecked party which eventually reached Jamestown in the two pinnaces Patience and Deliverance, built on the islands, Hopkins did not remain on The Somers Islands and the conclusion is that the recalcitrant came to Virginia despite his known wish to return to England. (He went back to England and came on the Mayflower in 1620 to Plymouth, Mass. No further connection with the Colony.
p475 Wm Pierce
p507 John Rolfe and wife . 9 months on Somers Island. Wife died on Somers Island or shortly after arriving in Virginia.
p590 Wm Strachey from Surrey England b 1572 on SV, marooned 9 mo etc
p650 Lieut. Edward Waters on SV and on to Virginia in Patience.
p724 George Yeardley

Admiral Sir George Somers (1554-1610) was born near Lyme Regis in Dorset, England of modest circumstances. At an early age he took to the sea, and as a captain of the "Flibcote" he captured Spanish prizes, bringing them back to Dartmouth. He was to become a large landowner by his early thirties. In 1609 he received instructions to command an expedition to Virginia, mortgaged his property and outfitted the "Sea Venture". Legend has it that his heart was buried in St George's at his death November 19, 1610. He left no direct descendants.